SeaWorld San Diego re-opened Journey to Atlantis, the water coaster and icon of the park, to the public this past weekend on Saturday, August 23.
The reimagined Journey to Atlantis fuses heart-pounding drops and exhilarating splashes with fresh, dynamic storytelling. Featuring an immersive queue experience, LED lights, projection mapping, and water effects, riders dive into a new chapter in the Atlantis legacy. The ride also features a transformative pre-lift and elevator adventure.
Journey to Atlantis was first introduced in 2004 as San Diego’s first water coaster. As part of the park’s commitment to continuously elevate the guest experience, SeaWorld San Diego set out to reimagine this attraction with fresh narrative layers and immersive media.
The new narrative incorporates The S.E.A. Collective (Science. Exploration. Adventure.), a daring crew of young scientists and explorers, who arrive in San Diego’s Mission Bay determined to uncover Atlantis’s ancient secrets. Throughout the queue, guests will overhear mission chatter from the S.E.A. Collective and view expedition maps and hints to find the mythical Kraken – an ancient sea monster feared for centuries who has awakened and is ready to strike Atlantis. SeaWorld’s global enthusiasts will recognize the S.E.A. Collective from their adventures throughout SeaWorld Abu Dhabi as well as Infinity Falls at SeaWorld Orlando and should be on the lookout for allusions and references nodding to those adventures.
The story unfolds in three immersive chapters – Discovery, Descent, and Escape. In Discovery, the queue becomes a hub of S.E.A. Collective research, with mysterious maps, bold theories, and murals of Atlantis’s rise and fall. Guests learn about the city’s builders – Mermaids and Atlanteans – who now guard it from ancient threats. In Descent, riders board a boat to explore the sunken city, only to face a dramatic Kraken attack brought to life with projection, lighting, and water effects. Finally, in Escape, riders race to the surface in a vertical elevator climax, ending in an exhilarating splashdown. The family-friendly ride features both flume and coaster elements, culminating in a large splashdown. Riders board eight-seater boats and experience a chain lift hill, turns and a final drop into a splash pool. This hybrid flume-coaster ride has a height requirement of 42 inches.
“We’re so excited to reopen Journey to Atlantis for our guests this summer. This ride is a popular way to cool off during a fun day at the park. As a guest favorite, it’s been exciting to see the reactions from our fans about the ride revisions and additions, and transforming it to an amazing adventure,” said Tyler Carter, SeaWorld San Diego Park President. “The next-level features and fresh storytelling is for all ages and provides a thrill to a whole new generation of explorers.”